Thiolate-protected golden fullerenes. A 32-ve core involving a hollow Au-32 cage

We have computationally investigated the possible formation of large hollow gold nanostructures based on a Au-32 core covered with a thiolate layer using relativistic density functional theory calculations. We have found that [Au-32@Au-12(SR)(18)](6-) is a plausible candidate that retains the structural, electronic and spherical aromatic properties of the Au-32 cage of its parent bare Au-32 golden fullerene. The study shows that the low-energy part of the optical spectrum can serve as a guide to identify such hollow gold structures among other small-sized gold nanoclusters with similar nuclearities. The low-lying excited states are dominated by 1f -> 1g transitions, which significantly distinguish hollow clusters from other nanoclusters, like the prominent [Au-25(SR)(18)](-) cluster, whose low-lying excitations are dominated by 1p /1d transitions. The gold nanoclusters studied here can serve as model compounds for assessing the metallic core size effects on the absorption energies and the influence of the surface structure of the gold core on the cluster properties. The present study suggests that it is also plausible that even larger hollow structures derived from Au-42, Au-72, and Au-92 golden fullerenes can exist.Peer reviewe

Dispersion forces drive water oxidation in molecular ruthenium catalysts

Rational design of artificial water-splitting catalysts is central for developing new sustainable energy technology. However, the catalytic efficiency of the natural light-driven water-splitting enzyme, photosystem II, has been remarkably difficult to achieve artificially. Here we study the molecular mechanism of ruthenium-based molecular catalysts by integrating quantum chemical calculations with inorganic synthesis and functional studies. By employing correlatedab initiocalculations, we show that the thermodynamic driving force for the catalysis is obtained by modulation of π-stacking dispersion interactions within the catalytically active dimer core, supporting recently suggested mechanistic principles of Ru-based water-splitting catalysts. The dioxygen bond forms in a semi-concerted radical coupling mechanism, similar to the suggested water-splitting mechanism in photosystem II. By rationally tuning the dispersion effects, we design a new catalyst with a low activation barrier for the water-splitting. The catalytic principles are probed by synthesis, structural, and electrochemical characterization of the new catalyst, supporting enhanced water-splitting activity under the examined conditions. Our combined findings show that modulation of dispersive interactions provides a rational catalyst design principle for controlling challenging chemistries. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2020.Peer reviewe

Aromaticity introduced by antiferromagnetic ligand mediated metal-metal interactions. Insights from the induced magnetic response in [Cu-6(dmPz)(6)(OH)(6)]

[trans-Cu(mu-OH)(mu-dmpz)](6) (1) exhibits six Cu(II) centers effectively coupled through a ligand mediated mechanism leading to a diamagnetic ground state over a wide temperature range. Here we investigate further magneto-structural correlations based on the possible free electron precession along such a copper-based ring-like nanocoil mediated by bridging ligands. We find that in 1, mediated antiferro-magnetic coupling leads to characteristics that induce aromatic ring behavior through evaluation of both induced currents and shielding of cones from a relativistic density functional theory level. According to our gauge calculations including magnetically induced current densities and an induced magnetic field, a sizable ring current strength susceptibility is obtained for the cyclic Cu-N-N-Cu and Cu-O-Cu pathways, allowing a magnetic exchange between the copper centers. Our study suggests that [Cu-6(dmPz)(6)(OH)(6)] consisting of an aromatic ring structure displays aromaticity and superexchange along the Cu-O-Cu and Cu-N-N-Cu backbones, which accounts for 80% and 20% of the overall ring current strength susceptibility, respectively. This reveals the presence of particular aromatic ring characteristics in coordination compounds without a direct metal-metal bond, where several formally paramagnetic centers are antiferromagnetically-coupled through supporting ligands. We envisage that our findings can be extended to other examples depicting ligand-mediated interaction between metal centers.Peer reviewe

Magnetic response properties of gaudiene - a cavernous and aromatic carbocage

spherical and cavernous carbocage molecule exhibiting faces with larger ring sizes than regular fullerenes is a suitable species for investigating how molecular magnetic properties depend on the structure of the molecular framework. The studied all-carbon gaudiene (C-72) is a highly symmetrical molecule with three-and four-fold faces formed by twelve membered rings. Here, we attempt to unravel the magnetic response properties of C-72 by performing magnetic shielding and current density calculations with the external magnetic field applied in different directions. The obtained results indicate that the induced current density flows mainly along the chemical bonds that are largely perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. However, the overall current strength for different directions of the magnetic field is nearly isotropic differing by only 10% indicating that C-72 can to some extent be considered to be a spherical aromatic molecule, whose current density and magnetic shielding are ideally completely isotropic. The induced magnetic field is found to exhibit long-range shielding cones in the field direction with a small deshielding region located perpendicularly to the field outside the molecule. The magnetic shielding is isotropic inside the molecular framework of C-72, whereas an orientation-dependent magnetic response appears mainly at the exterior of the molecular cage.Peer reviewe